iMac Build Quality: White vs. Aluminum

[Fahrwahr]

My parents' first-generation 17" iMac G5 took a turn for the worse last weekend: it will boot through the gray Apple screen, but once it reaches the blue screen prior to the desktop loading, the screen turns dark blue, and the fans start blowing like crazy. Apple Hardware Test lists a Video RAM error. Although we're taking it to the Genius Bar on Saturday to see if it might be a covered or inexpensive repair, we're not all that hopeful about it.

We'll likely be looking into a refurbished Core 2 Duo iMac from the Apple Store online. There appear to be several options at any given time in both the white and aluminum form factors. I know that the build quality of the Intel-based Macs has been uneven compared to the PowerPC-based models (growing pains, I suppose), so I was wondering if anyone has any anecdotal evidence of the aluminum iMacs having a higher build quality than the white ones, or vice versa.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JSchwage]

My parents' first-generation 17" iMac G5 took a turn for the worse last weekend: it will boot through the gray Apple screen, but once it reaches the blue screen prior to the desktop loading, the screen turns dark blue, and the fans start blowing like crazy. Apple Hardware Test lists a Video RAM error. Although we're taking it to the Genius Bar on Saturday to see if it might be a covered or inexpensive repair, we're not all that hopeful about it.

We'll likely be looking into a refurbished Core 2 Duo iMac from the Apple Store online. There appear to be several options at any given time in both the white and aluminum form factors. I know that the build quality of the Intel-based Macs has been uneven compared to the PowerPC-based models (growing pains, I suppose), so I was wondering if anyone has any anecdotal evidence of the aluminum iMacs having a higher build quality than the white ones, or vice versa.

Thanks in advance.

At this point in time I'd say that you should probably get an Intel-based Mac, and I'd recommend getting the older white iMac. The current aluminum ones seem to be having lots of issues. This is probably because all the bugs haven't been ironed out yet.

 

[ryannel2003]

I've had my refurbished 17" Core 2 Duo iMac since December, and I've had some issues, but they are all related to Leopard, not the iMac itself. It's been a great machine, and the build quality has been good or even better than my previous Macs. I would recommend my iMac over and over again, and the fact it was only $850 really makes it amazing.

 

[davidwarren]

I have a 2.4 GHz Al iMac, haven't had a bit of trouble with it.

 

[brn2ski00]

At this point in time I'd say that you should probably get an Intel-based Mac, and I'd recommend getting the older white iMac. The current aluminum ones seem to be having lots of issues. This is probably because all the bugs haven't been ironed out yet.

What issues? My 20 incher ALU is working like a charm. I would say go for the newest model, you will not be disappointed and you are keeping up with the ever changing technology world.

The only issue I had was the color calibration of the screen -- which ws fixed quite easily right after a software update and a quick color check.

I've had my refurbished 17" Core 2 Duo iMac since December, and I've had some issues, but they are all related to Leopard, not the iMac itself. It's been a great machine, and the build quality has been good or even better than my previous Macs. I would recommend my iMac over and over again, and the fact it was only $850 really makes it amazing.

I had this model as well and it was a great machine. I am just a fan of the ALU look much better and the glossy screen to boot.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

No difference in build quality. It's the components used in some models of Alu iMac (worse graphics card and cheaper LCD panel) that make them worse.

 

[HLdan]

Same here, I have the 2.8Ghz Alu iMac and no issues. The build quality of the aluminum shell and plastic back is top notch.

 

[ryannel2003]

What issues? My 20 incher ALU is working like a charm. I would say go for the newest model, you will not be disappointed and you are keeping up with the ever changing technology world.

The only issue I had was the color calibration of the screen -- which ws fixed quite easily right after a software update and a quick color check.



I had this model as well and it was a great machine. I am just a fan of the ALU look much better and the glossy screen to boot.

I agree, I think the Alu iMac is a much sexier design overall. Depending on the OP budget, I would try to stick with the newer models. I have checked them out at the Apple Store, and I saw no difference whatsoever in the build quality. I do think the glossy screen is amazing, and the new iMac's are just better. Period.

 

[AlexisV]

I'd recommend getting the older white iMac. The current aluminum ones seem to be having lots of issues.

Disagree. My machine, bought the day they came out, is absolutely perfect. You'll always get people posting problems on forums because nobody's interested in 'my Mac's great' threads. What's the point of posting a new thread if you don't have a problem?

The only reason to get an old white Mac is if you can get a really really good deal. Otherwise, you're making a financial error investing in old(er) technology. Especially when it comes to resale.

 

[DoFoT9]

got a 24" iMac. NOTHING wrong with it at all.... works perfectly as of yet

 

[netdog]

In my opinion, the white 24" iMacs were incredible. Great screens. No issues.

 

[neiltc13]

I think the design of the new aluminium iMacs is absolutely hideous. I think it was Apple changing things for the sake of changing things and it's blatantly obvious that a LOT more consideration was put into the design of the old machine over this. The black parts are completely out of place and quite harsh on the eyes.

As for the build quality it's very high on both - I never had a problem with my white iMac and so far with my aluminium one I haven't had a problem either. The aluminium machine does get significantly hotter than the white one ever did though.

 

[jonswan]

Ditto, here. My ALU iMac 2.0 is a dream - best computer I've ever owned. The older iMacs look far too bulky and white is definitely out....
Only problems have been Leopard related.

 

[cohibadad]

I have several of both the white and alu iMacs and both are excellent. Personally, I think the alu iMac screen is much more beautiful to look at. I wouldn't choose one over the other due to build quality as I have had zero problems with any of them.

 

[ChrisA]

My parents' first-generation 17" iMac G5 took a turn for the worse last weekend: i

You might base the decision on if you like the new glossy screen or not. The old white iMac has a screen like your G5. The new iMacs have a glossy screen that does well if the machine is mostly used as a media player.

 

[Fahrwahr]

Thanks for the replies so far. A few comments…

No difference in build quality. It's the components used in some models of Alu iMac (worse graphics card and cheaper LCD panel) that make them worse.

I'm not as concerned about the LCD panel as I am the graphics card, as my family does tend to get into some of the puzzle games (Big Kahuna Reef, the Diner Dash series, etc.) that are somewhat graphics-intensive (although certainly not as much so as a 3D shooter game). The iMac G5 tended to bog down with some of those games.

The only reason to get an old white Mac is if you can get a really really good deal. Otherwise, you're making a financial error investing in old(er) technology. Especially when it comes to resale.

Is the latest white iMac line that much farther behind the aluminum line in terms of technology? Do you think it's likely that Apple would have a Mac OS X "cat release" that would cut out some of the Core 2 Duo iMacs but include the aluminum ones for some reason? Would the RAM limit also be a significant factor in longevity?

As for the build quality it's very high on both - I never had a problem with my white iMac and so far with my aluminium one I haven't had a problem either. The aluminium machine does get significantly hotter than the white one ever did though.

Considering that I've been struck by Apple heat problems before (the CD MacBook random shutdown issue) and the aforementioned graphics-intensive games my parents play, I am concerned about deterioration of the electronics inside the iMac due to heat. Does the aluminum conduct heat better than the white plastic, or does it actually hold it in?

I should note that my uncle bought a new 20" aluminum iMac (2.0 GHz) after Christmas, and my office in the new building into which my department moved in January was equipped with a 20" aluminum iMac (2.4 GHz) as well. We've had no issues so far, but I can't say I have much "experience" with them having only used them for a couple of months. My parents seem to be satisfied to remain at the 17" screen size if necessary, and the spread between a 17" white iMac (2.0 GHz) and a 20" aluminum iMac (2.0 GHz) among Apple's refurbished models is about $200 ($849 vs. $1049) when they're available.

 

[Sun Baked]

Aluminum is a good cheap conductor, which is why it is used in pots and pans instead of plastic.

So it will always feel hotter to the touch, and it is moving heat to the outside of the case instead of keeping it inside the case.

 

[ryannel2003]

Personally if your parents are satisfied at the 17", I wouldn't even bother with the Alu. A lot of people think the bigger screen is so much better and worth the $200, where some people (like myself) have been extremely satisfied with the 17" and feel no need to upgrade to something larger. Plus, the 17" White has the same processor as the base 2GHz 20" iMac, so the only difference is the graphics card, screen, hard drive, and of course the design. It all depends on what you think it best.

 

[Fahrwahr]

Thanks again for all the replies. The appointment at the Genius Bar today had an unhappy outcome: apparently the original purchase was in October 2004 (ours was a gift purchased on eBay), so we are four months beyond the end of the repair extension program. It doesn't seem worth $650 (parts and labor) to invest in a flawed design (in fact, the genius said the logic board looked like the replacement part, so it may have already been replaced once).

My parents settled on a refurbished base model aluminum iMac. The heat-conducting property of the aluminum enclosure makes sense -- the tight plastic enclosure of the white iMacs would seem to lead to more component failure. The Apple Store originally stated that it would be 3 to 5 business days until the iMac ships, but it's on its way to FedEx now.

Any ideas on what to do with the problematic iMac G5? I would hope the working parts of the machine would be worth something.

 

[Leon Kowalski]

The heat-conducting property of the aluminum enclosure makes sense -- the tight
plastic enclosure of the white iMacs would seem to lead to more component failure.

Good theory. OTOH, my white 20" iMac's internal temps run significantly
cooler than any of the ALU iMac temps I've seen posted. For example, my
HDD (the most heat-sensitive comoponent) is currently at 37C, as usual,
(after many days of continuous operation) -- while the internal HDDs in
many ALU iMacs seem to run 10C-20C hotter.

iMacs are air-cooled by the internal fans, so the conducting properties
of the case should have no significant effect on internal temperatures.
If the case gets hot to the touch, basic physics tells us that the internal
temps must be even hotter.

...heat kills hard drives,

LK

 

[Fahrwahr]

Good theory. OTOH, my white 20" iMac's internal temps run significantly
cooler than any of the ALU iMac temps I've seen posted. For example, my
HDD (the most heat-sensitive comoponent) is currently at 37C, as usual,
(after many days of continuous operation) -- while the internal HDDs in
many ALU iMacs seem to run 10C-20C hotter.

Interesting, and disappointing. Could this be the result of a component change that results in more heat (perhaps the graphics card), or a difference in placement of some component? What do you do with your white iMac (anything that would drive up the temperature)?

iMacs are air-cooled by the internal fans, so the conducting properties
of the case should have no significant effect on internal temperatures.
If the case gets hot to the touch, basic physics tells us that the internal
temps must be even hotter.

...heat kills hard drives,

LK

I guess that makes Time Machine all the more valuable for backups.

 

[Leon Kowalski]

Interesting, and disappointing. Could this be the result of a component
change that results in more heat (perhaps the graphics card), or a
difference in placement of some component?

I don't think it's related to the graphics card -- it's pretty much at idle
during my normal mix of apps (web browsing, blogging, iPhoto, etc.).
My best guess is that it's related to airflow pathways in the new "slim"
ALU iMac case and/or changes in fan design or fan control firmware.

What do you do with your white iMac (anything that would drive up the temperature)?

Nothing in my normal apps mix is very disk-intensive, but even when
copying multi-GBs of random files, I've never seen HD temps go above
the low 40C's. As a test, I just copied 30+ GB from the internal drive
to an external drive, and the internal HDD temp never got above 41C.

The fans (all of them) speeded up by about 100 rpm -- but that might
well have been caused by rising CPU temps (CPU load went to nearly
100%) as much as the 4C degree rise in HDD temp.

BTW, I'm not using smcFanControl.app or anything similar, because my
iMac's internal temps have always been very comfortably cool.

LK

 

[Fahrwahr]

I don't think it's related to the graphics card -- it's pretty much at idle
during my normal mix of apps (web browsing, blogging, iPhoto, etc.).
My best guess is that it's related to airflow pathways in the new "slim"
ALU iMac case and/or changes in fan design or fan control firmware.

I didn't realize that the Aluminum iMacs were slimmer than the iSight White iMacs, though I did know about slimming between the pre-iSight and iSight iMac G5 models. You're probably right about the airflow pathways -- considering how many revisions there were to the iSight whilte iMacs (at least four, if I'm counting correctly), Apple had a few chances to get it right. The aluminum design may be a whole new ball game. I wish Steve would obsess less about thinness and more about one of his original obsessions, quietness -- better airflow means quieter fans (not that they're loud now, but I'd like the side effect of cooler temperatures).

Nothing in my normal apps mix is very disk-intensive, but even when
copying multi-GBs of random files, I've never seen HD temps go above
the low 40C's. As a test, I just copied 30+ GB from the internal drive
to an external drive, and the internal HDD temp never got above 41C.

The fans (all of them) speeded up by about 100 rpm -- but that might
well have been caused by rising CPU temps (CPU load went to nearly
100%) as much as the 4C degree rise in HDD temp.

BTW, I'm not using smcFanControl.app or anything similar, because my
iMac's internal temps have always been very comfortably cool.

LK

I've played with fan control applications on my MacBook, but I have yet to try on an iMac, and I haven't checked temperatures at all on my aluminum iMac at work.

 

[SaSaSushi]

I think the design of the new aluminium iMacs is absolutely hideous. I think it was Apple changing things for the sake of changing things and it's blatantly obvious that a LOT more consideration was put into the design of the old machine over this. The black parts are completely out of place and quite harsh on the eyes.

Well, you are entitled to your opinion but I happen to think the aluminums are more attractive than the white were. I owned a 20" Core Duo (white) before my current 24" aluminum iMac. This new one is work of art while the old one always struck me as a bit "plasticky" (new word I just invented)

I had to LOL when I saw in your signature that you actually own an aluminum iMac.

You can't have hated it THAT much. There are still plenty of white ones out there at great prices.

 

[luffytubby]

The main thing that I can see, seems to be the fact that the remote control is not magnetic with the Aluminium Imac, so it can't stick, which was kinda cool

Overall, both the White and the Alu looks slick. I think it's impossible to choose which looks better.



As for the graphics card. The White Imacs had a 7600 GT right? Is 7600 GT really better than a 2600 Pro?

Was this a backward upgrade? What will they upgrade to next? Geforce 5200?

I actually owned that card.... Dont laugh